By Cort Reynolds
LEIPSIC - Visiting Bluffton blanked higher seed Leipsic 12-0 in a Div. IV softball sectional first round contest Tuesday evening.

The Lady Pirates improved to 7-13 with the five-inning, run rule-shortened victory. Sixth-seeded Leipsic dropped to 10-9 with the defeat.    

Ninth-seeded Bluffton advances to the sectional second round at second seed Lima Central Catholic Thursday, May 13. The Pirates upset LCC 10-5 on May 6.

The Pirate girls broke open a scoreless game wth three runs in the top of the third inning at Leipsic. Bluffton doubled its lead to 6-0 with three more scores in the fourth.

The Pirates doubled their lead again in the fifth with a six-run outburst. They then held the Viking girls scoreless in the bottom of the fifth to enact the 10-run rule.

Bluffton hurler Grace Myers pitched an efficient five-hit shutout to earn her fifth win of the spring. She threw just 59 pitches in five innings.    

The Pirates rocked Leipsic and losing pitcher Jocelyn Hermiller for 16 hits. 

Hannah Davis hammered a three-run homer and stroked a run-scoring double to amass four RBI to pace the Pirate offense.

Dyllan Worcester collected three singles in three at bats. Kennedy Jordan, Rebekah Hoff and Sophie Bricker each collected two hits and one RBI.

Riley Busch hit a double, singled and drove in two runs. Ashley Fleece legged out a triple, singled and knocked in a pair of runs. Lauren Swartzlander added an RBI hit.

Neither team committed an error.

Ava Henry hit a double and singled to lead the Leipsic offense. Marisa Hermiller and Jocelyn Hermiller each contributed one hit. Caitlen Flick added the other Viking single.    

Bluffton also beat Leipsic 5-1 April 30.

    123    456    7    R    H    E    
Blu    003    36x    x    12    16    0        
Leip    000    00x    x    0    5    0        
WP-Myers (5-7)    LP-Hermiller        
2B-Henry (L), Busch (B)
3B-Fleece (B)    
HR-Davis (B)    

The Bluffton/Lima Central Catholic winner Thursday, May 13 advances to the Div. IV Elida district semifinals.

The district semis will be at Elida Tuesday, May 18. Top seed is North Baltimore.

The district finals are slated for Saturday, May 21 at Elida.